Dawn of a New Hope
by E.S. Simeon
Summary: A lost of confidence and hope can always be renewed... Even in the midst of all the chaos, there will be a friend to help in times of trouble, and when dawn comes by, life shall be restored.


**A/N:** Well, first, I must apologise for the recent story (Turbulent Life). Since I originally planned to have it run through with simple changes that might have fit the situation, but in the end, it is just a mere rewrite that looked insipid. As a result, I have taken it down and now going to approach this whole thing in a different manner. Instead of rewriting the game's story, I might try to get in certain parts as one-shots or maybe some post-game stories to make this work. Obviously, it will contain the same great pairing, hah.

**A/N (2):** Normal texts are the actions and descriptions with quotations being speaking. Italics are thoughts (one-worded Italics may be emphasis on a word or title of things), and bold font is either telepathic messages or letter-type messages.

**Disclaimer:** Tales of the Abyss belongs to Namco or whomever that owns it, not mine and all character content here remains their property.

**Spoiler(s):** Contains tiny spoilers in the third part of the game, particularly with Anise's turn of events and going to Mt. Zaleho.

* * *

**Dawn of a New Hope**

Gald. One of the most beautiful words of Anise's vocabulary, and perhaps even the most used word for her everyday speech. Of course, it was not always like this. Due to Mohs' influence on her family that made Anise go after large sums of Gald to free her family.

However, now the event is now in the past, the damage is done Ion is dead. And it is all Anise's fault. Well, so much for trying to marry into money, it is useless now. Although... even when useless, Anise did manage to get something from her money-chase.

Perhaps one of the easiest victim for her to chase during the time before Mohs was Luke. Being a part of the group, Anise gets the most time to lure Luke into her plans. Still, even if it is not for money now, Anise still has Luke as a friend that she could probably depend on, or not. The problem with Luke is that he has been in a manor for a large portion of his life, which clouds his judgement in times where common sense comes into play, and this proved to be fatal in the event of Akzeriuth. Nevertheless, a later resolution brought the two back together once again.

The quest for money is over now since the truth is out, but what of Anise's friendship with Luke?

Sometime later after Ion's death, inside the Inn of Daath, Anise continues to re-live the hell of the particular scene that occurs.

"**You**** don't have to guard me anymore Anise..."**

"**Ion!"**

The scene seems to repeat itself.

"Ion..." Anise muttered painfully in the resting place in Daath, and slowly opening her eyes to see that it was all a dream, but the emotions were real.

Soon after the waking up, Anise could barely hear something from her opposite side from where she was sleeping. Alarmed at the slight sound, she turns around to look. There was no surprise to who was there, but Anise figured that it might have been her twisting and turning that woke another person in the room up.

"Anise?" Called the voice of Tear in a close proximity in the room of the Inn.

"...Oh...Tear. Sorry, did I wake you up?" Anise asked to the older girl.

"No, I was just thinking. Are you okay? You looked like you were having a nightmare..." Tear replied, knowing that the uncomfortable sleep movement with Anise is probably a nightmare.

"...Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm going to run outside and get some fresh air, okay?" Anise said, getting up and heading outside the building.

Once Anise was out, Tear knew that the nightmare had not been pleasant. "Anise... She was saying "Ion" in her sleep... She must still be in pain..."

Misery seems to float around Anise's mind even as the cool breeze hit her outside Daath, but that did not stop her in anyway. The current situation, only grief filled her mind as she wandered around to ponder about her situation. What did everyone think of her now? Is it going to be easy accepted again? All the time spent together... all fake!

The night seem to enjoy its way of torture as the darkness of the sky as well as the surrounding area laugh with mocking voices as well as a sense of dread filling the air.

There seemed to be no way out of the unbearable sorrowful state for Anise, as she slowly walks a bit more outside of Daath for a little serenity, hoping the grief would just go away... That somehow, the pain would just leave her.

The wishful thinking only made things worse as the emotions did not get any better, and Anise managed to wander far off enough to attract a few monsters. Certainly, this scenario is not one that Anise would normally get herself into, but perhaps her misery drove her into this, and maybe the wishful thinking of liberation would be fulfilled here and now--through death that is.

To make matters worse, Anise has no means of defending herself, as nobody would think of carrying Tokunaga and a Rod just for a walk to relief after a nightmare.

Horror seem overrun Anise as she could hear, but not see the beasts that gather around her. There was no doubt that they were after her, why it cannot get anymore perfect that a defenceless person of some sort walks out alone and gets into an ambush. Even more tragic for Anise is that the night is still fresh, which is currently covering both the field and Daath in darkness. If she were to run, would she be running towards the safety of Daath or to a faster death in the wilderness?

_Is this punishment? Oh Ion, I am sorry..._ Anise thought, as she stood helplessly out in the middle of nowhere, unarmed and ready to die. The growling of the many wolves and screeching of the birds around grew louder as they got ready to feast on their helpless prey. At once, a large war cry from the monsters seems to erupt, and Anise could only wait for the death to come.

Only that was not so. The loud war cry seem to be a death cry instead, as a eruption of strange noises arose from where supposedly the monsters were, and also some other type of shouting.

"Oww! Stop that! Take this! Argh! Knock it off!" Shouted a single voice from the near distance as wolves are struck down, bird falling to the ground and kicked.

Anise slowly scanned the area, what kind of monster would yell voices of pain like that? Well, certainly cannot be a monster in that case. Anise slowly sees a figure emerge from the shadows quite distinctively with white material, and maybe a few bruises and tiny cuts from the battle just now.

"Looks like I am not too late..." Uttered Luke's voice, as his figure became clear to Anise.

"Luke...?" Anise quietly said, slowly recognising the swordsman, "Luke..." Anise muttered again as she slowly walked into Luke.

"Were you thinking about Ion?" Luke asked.

"Yes... the nightmares keep repeating themselves..." Anise said regretfully.

As the two slowly sat down, Anise seem to calm down a little bit.

"Well, shall we go back soon?" Luke questioned, it would seem that it would be dangerous to stay outside.

"I don't know..." Anise quietly said.

"Anise?" Luke asked again, with confusion to Anise's last response.

"Will it really be OK? What I did up until now was all a lie... suppose nobody trusts me anymore?" Anise explained.

"Hey, will it matter that much? I once killed the entire population of Akzeriuth, and yet... I still managed to regain trust... nobody's blaming you on this Anise; it couldn't be helped since Mohs was under control... at least you weren't like me..." Luke said, knowing his case is much heavier.

"Luke... do you trust me...?" Anise asked, as she leaned over to Luke as tiredness began to settle in on her.

"I... Yes. It doesn't matter what happened here, and no one is blaming you, but if it makes things better then fine, I'll help you out... Just like how Tear gave me a second chance as well as Guy being there for me..." Luke said, hoping to get Anise moving back to the Inn as he himself started to feel a little tired as well.

However, Anise gave no response, as the puppeteer lay on the ground asleep from the tiredness.

_Great, that leaves me to bring her back... Umm which way is Daath anyway? I can't see in this darkness! _Luke thought as he looked around the area and could not guess where Daath may be.

Faced with a difficult situation, Luke sits down near Anise; it was up to him to look after her now, much to his discomfort in this particular situation.

_I wonder why I went out to search for Anise after hearing about her from Tear... _Luke thought as he continued to think about the current hardship. Closing his eyes, Luke tried to rest a little, but even in the 

middle of the rest, he would be mindful of his situation as to not fall asleep completely as well as keeping the occasional open eye for any other dangers around.

Few hours later, Anise starts to get up again, and notices an exhausted Luke.

"Luke..." Anise processed out as she sat up again.

"Hey... can we go back now?" Luke asked, hoping that they would try to get back to Daath somehow where he can get some sleep.

"Luke, are you really sure that it's okay for everyone?" Anise questioned again.

"Of course, as long as you don't close yourself up, I think everyone will understand, unlike what happened with me..." Luke assured as he stood up and offered Anise a hand to help her.

Anise took the hand, and got up only to move forward to cling onto Luke. "Thank you..." She muttered with her face buried.

Luke breathed a sigh of relief, making everything, convincing for Anise sure was not easy, and since Ion was killed, along with Arietta showing up must be tough.

As much as the pleasant moment was, a screeching around the two alerted them, and Luke got his sword ready, but Anise still had nothing, and at that moment, Luke dropped both a Rod and Tokunaga.

"If that's what you need to fight, then you have it now, don't let me take everything!" Luke said, knowing that he sure does not want to take all the pain by this fight.

"But you should be protecting me, after all it will be your duty when we get married," Anise said, and got onto the enlarged Tokunaga.

A realisation hit Luke by those words, and it seemed ridiculous to him all of a sudden. "What!? Are you **still** carrying on about that?" Luke half-shouted in surprise as he prepared for battle. Anise smiled.

For the rest of the fight that followed, was perhaps one of the longest ever. It was no big deal for the two of them however, except the constant "Oww! Argh!" from one of them. At least for Anise, there was hope out of the current turbulence. Hopelessness seem to wash away, trust seem to be renewed. As the sun starts to rise and disperse the darkness over the area, so it seemed like for Anise's life, a new day, a new life. No longer did the night laugh with regret and mockery, but the penetrating light seems to sing joy and peace all around the areas near Daath. However, for Luke and Anise they would have no time to enjoy such a scene considering they tired minds as well as their busy situations. Nevertheless, they managed to finish the battle and lay their backs against a rock to take a short respite. With some light into their lives now, they could see Daath nearby, but neither Luke nor Anise found the strength to move.

Another few hours pass by, and when the rest of the group notices that Luke is also gone, they began to worry and search for them. It did not take them long to find the two lost members of their crew.

"Hmm, perhaps it may have been better to have Guy come bring back Anise..." Jade mentioned.

"Huh? Me?" Guy said.

"You don't expect Luke to bring her back all by yourself do you? He probably got lost as soon as he found Anise and probably got into a more unpleasant situation..." Jade explained, and having a little laugh in his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Colonel, if only I had known Anise went this far..." Tear began to apologise.

"Well, it can't be helped now, Guy you carry them with us..." Jade commanded.

"Me? What about you?" Guy questioned, not liking the thought of carrying both Anise and Luke.

"I am not fit to carry them, and you're the only one who's strong enough here..." Jade explained.

"But..." Guy pleaded, not wanting to handle the task all by himself.

"None of us could carry them, please Guy?" Natalia asked.

"Ok, fine..." Guy finally gave in to the request and started to pick up Luke.

Only that as Guy wanted to pick up Luke, he felt a strong resistance. Looking down, Guy could see that Anise had been holding onto Luke while resting behind the rock and on her face is a big smile.

_What is this?_ Guy thought as he noticed that he cannot separate Anise from Luke.

* * *

I figured that there has to be some place to work the scene into play since I remember the side-skit "Emotional Scars" (Which is the dialogue at the beginning) that showed Anise still sore from the incident, and perhaps that was the golden opportunity to fit all this in, I am sorry if it is viewed as OOC or whatnot, but it was quite interesting to write.


End file.
